WHAT TIME IS IT?
Pastor David Drum is the pastor of Community of Hope Lutheran Church in Tucson, Arizona and also serves on the board of trustees for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ.
Hey mister, can you tell me what time it is?
As a matter of fact, no I can’t.
The passage from Ecclesiastes 3 made famous by Simon and Garfunkel begins, There is a time for every purpose under heaven and ends its litany with a time for war and a time for peace. As applied to life in the church, especially the broader church, I’ve taken that to mean that there’s a time to fight, and a time to not fight. Having been a resident of both times, I can sure tell you which I like better!
I struggled mightily for many years, including seminary training during the late 80's, to determine whether it was time for me to stand up and fight for what I believed in, or remain more quietly faithful, minding my own business. I preferred the latter, having no great desire to fight my own church. I knew well that there were times where a pastor was called to rock the boat within the congregation, but I found it a whole lot easier to ignore the issues beyond the congregation. Back in 1996, though, I was preaching during Lent on various Biblical mountain-top experiences and came to the Elijah and Mt. Carmel contest, where God led Elijah to confront the Israelites with the searing question, “how long will you limp between two opinions?” I knew, then, that my days of being quiet and going along to get along were over.
This article, though, is not about the process of bearing witness to the truth within one’s own denomination. Nor is it about how that process culminated six years later with the decision to leave my denomination, a decision which both I and my congregation arrived at simultaneously. I firmly believe that Ecclesiastes 3 applies to the question of fight or flight, and that faithfulness can take a variety of expressions in differing circumstances. Rather, I was asked to write an article on what life and ministry has looked like on the other side of the tumultuous events of the last several years. And while the grass may not always be greener on the other side, even when the Lord is the one calling you to the other side, I can tell you with great thankfulness that I love the view from here!
Still contending for the truth
The job (privilege) of always being ready to give reasons for the hope within is a never-ending one. I still find myself regularly talking about God’s blueprint for faithful living. I regularly have opportunity to testify that truly there is no other name than that of Jesus Christ by which we can be saved. The relevance of the Biblical material relating to homosexuality and, more broadly, marriage as a whole, remains a frequent hot topic. The change has been in the locus of these discussions. I still regularly state what I believe and why, and often have to defend those beliefs against quite strong opposition. But now, the opposition comes from the world proper, rather than from the world within the church. I’d much rather contend for the truth in conversation with my Unitarian neighbors than in conversation with my bishop and pastoral colleagues. It’s just as important (and commanded) to pray for the one as for the other, but I sure find it a lot easier to remember to pray in these new contexts. Evangelism thrills me. Church fights drain me.
More energy to keep going and going and going
I used to use up some of my best energy trying to discern new ways to articulate Biblical truth to colleagues in ways that would be compelling and convincing. The struggles to suppress my tendencies toward pride while controlling my anger were continuously taxing. I would come home from collegial meetings and synod assemblies angry and frustrated, and good for little for many days. Now, my creativity can be put to use in other settings like worship planning, evangelical outreach, and work within the broader church on new paradigms for seminary training and congregational associations. I don’t have that much creativity, so what little I have needs to be conserved! And I can now thoroughly and joyously anticipate meetings with colleagues, coming home energized and revitalized. I’m convinced from the New Testament that God intends fellowship with other believers to be a source of encouragement, not discouragement.
The same has proven true for our congregation. For many years I had viewed the congregational process of leaving the denomination with great fear and anguish. I anticipated that the entire process would be divisive and distracting. But the mercies of the Lord are new every morning, and what happened instead is that our congregation became more unified and focused. We knew more clearly what we believed and why, and the change took place both in breadth and in depth. While I never would have chosen it on my own, the actual event turned out to be a time of renewal!
New opportunities for ministry
I maintain many close contacts with friends from my previous denomination, and continue to find many great pan-Lutheran places for meaningful ministry, like Cursillo/Via de Cristo. So, no discernable doors closed. But new doors have opened, too. I was surprised to learn how many folks within the broader evangelical community were watching and praying for us. Many of these people have now become my closest friends in ministry. Improved ecumenical relationships have brought with them tremendous blessings, both personally and congregationally. When the senior pastors of the largest Baptist and largest non-denominational churches in town decided to create a Barnabus forum, a monthly continuing education and mutual support meeting for clergy, I was invited and gladly accepted the invitation. When someone who works for a yellow-page company had the idea to create a full-page advertisement listing churches from different parts of town and different denominational expressions, we were the ones invited to represent the Lutherans. The examples like this go on and on.
In our setting, we have more opportunity to make a positive contribution to our previous denomination now than we did before. People are interested, and ask questions. Many are surprised to learn that contrary to rumors of our premature demise as a congregation, we’re actually surviving and thriving! And on occasion non-believers have asked questions and expressed appreciation for what they perceived as actions of integrity.
More love
My love for the church continues to grow. I’m exposed to a bigger part of it now than I was before, and am blessed by that change beyond words. More mature believers than I was can possibly remain full of love, joy, and peace even in the midst of heated discussions with colleagues over the authority of Scripture and the nature of the Gospel. I can do that now a lot easier than I could before, because now I’m no longer a representative for something I can’t honestly represent. No human expression of the church will ever be fully pure, but now that foundational truths and values are held in common, love flows much more freely.
What time is it for you and your congregation? Time to be faithful, now as always, to God’s call, which is as varied as are the gifts of the Spirit. And faithfulness has its own inherent rewards, as promised by our Lord who desires that our joy might be full. The time for crying peace, peace when there is no peace is never, but neither is the time for war intended to last indefinitely.
Why are Christians losing America?
David Kupelian
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."' Revelation 3:15-16 KJV
Most Americans call themselves Christians. Christians have lost the war for America’s influence in politics, in the press, in entertainment, in literature in virtually every major area of life. And now, Christians are losing the war for their very own institutions their churches. It's a harsh indictment but hey, the truth hurts. In his recent book, "Abandonment Theology," author John W. Chalfant describes the precipitous decline of Judeo-Christian influence in law, culture and public policy in America. Abandonment Theology is a term devised by the author to describe a faith which deceptively pawns itself off as Christianity by operating in the name of Christ, but which produces fruits destructive to America's God-given freedoms. It is a "feel good" theology that patronizes Jesus Christ. Faulty Christian teaching, says Chalfant, is the only way to explain why so many well-meaning Christians are paralyzed into inaction. Abandonment Clergy have been teaching, preaching and saturating the media and their church members with the doctrine of surrender. They are not teaching us to surrender to Christ through obedience to the commandments of God.
Do we dare take an honest look? Jesus Himself warned His followers to expect to be persecuted, just as He was persecuted. However, there is another, and far more decisive, reason for the spectacular decline of Christianity in our modern era: Christianity today is very different from what it once was.
There are countless Christians" who believe they have a ticket to Heaven, and nothing else really matters very much to them. This version of Christianity, more prevalent than you can imagine, literally justifies and excuses dirty rotten scoundrels. For millions of people, Christianity has become a bumper-sticker religion. Is this the kind of salvation Jesus referred to when He said, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13 KJV)
Is it any wonder the West is dying? What's missing in all of this, of course, is a love of truth. "This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me," said Jesus. (Matthew 15:8 KJV)
At the core of this life-changing religion is the individual believer's love and appreciation and acceptance and embrace of Christ's sacrifice the ultimate demonstration of God's love for His wayward children. But the problem with the way Christianity is "taught" today is that the only ingredient it needs is a guilty person who's sick of feeling guilty.
The Christian Church in America needs a revival. America's real revival will happen when people go home, go to their room, close the door, take a deep breath and take a good, long, hard look at themselves in the mirror. And then, quietly and humbly and fervently, they ask the living God for help, for insight, for direction for salvation.
David Kupelian, Whistleblower Magazine
2002 WorldNetDaily.com
Dear Editor:
Our God is not the author of confusion. When this exists it is the sure mark of a church body making a false claim to be the True Church. The marks of the church are the proper administration of the sacraments and the correct teaching of the Holy Scriptures. Can you honestly say that the ELCA is in compliance with this Biblical teaching, especially as clarified in the Book of Concord and the very writings of Dr. Martin Luther? If you can, then do it here and now. Otherwise, consider yourself and the ELCA ro be what it really is: a non-Bible based pseudo church, one that is certainly not Lutheran or Christian.
The hierarchy tell us the expressions of the church are found in their national assemblies, signifying that it is there that the church is to be found. But the church is a living organism made up of believers, pure and simple. Whenever two or more faithful followers of Jesus gather at the table and hear God’s Word, there is the church. Therefore, to equate anyone’s membership in an ELCA congregation as one who holds to apostasy is so broad a brush stroke of condemnation that we forget who really is the church. The Fellowship of Confessional Lutherans is a fellowship of people concerned with what is happening not only in our church, but with the onslaught that is hitting the whole Christian church in our world. If we said that all is okay, then it might be fair to place your label on us, but in fact, we are standing firm on the right administration of the Sacraments and proclamation of the Gospel, which is why Confessional is in our title. Yet your frustration, disappointment and anger is heard loud and clear. Let’s stop being angry with one another, when we agree on the need for faithfully proclaiming the salvation in Christ and start recognizing that Jesus calls us to the particular place of our ministry, whether in the midst of the conflagration, our in the mission field. For too long, many have been arguing about whether faithful expression of the church is standing firm and fighting, or taking flight. What is really more important is to remain faithful and recognize that some are called to stay and fight within while some are called out to be a witness from without. Our unity is in Christ, the gift of His sacraments and the right proclamation of His Word and Gospel, not in the initials that we use to describe our many and various affiliations.
The Editor
Abortion Support Dropping
Religion Today reports that support for abortion among American women is declining, according to a report released recently by a pro-abortion organization. The figures have increased three percent over the results reported in 2001. It shows we are making progress in winning back the hearts and minds of American women. (A Synopsis of Religion Today Summary)
ELCA Churchwide Assembly
In the midst of all the celebration surrounding the national convention, a small item of business took place with an En Bloc adoption of constitutional changes spell significant cause for concern at this year’s churchwide assembly. A bishop, at his or her soul discretion, may be actively involved in the removal of a pastor because of local difficulties, and by a simple majority, rather than the previous two-thirds congregation decided meeting in the amendment to 7.46. To assure that items decided through the voting member process (read, not delegate) are not easily overturned, it now takes a two thirds vote to undo what was voted on before in the amendment of 12.12. All discipline issues now need to be in writing and accompanied with a written response. It seems the legal system of the world trumps what the Gospel of Matthew had to say in matters of discipline with this amendment to 20.41. Finally, it seems that maybe the ecclesiastical system proposed through CCM will gain more teeth as any property that passes through synod’s hands will forever retain synod’s vested ability to hold through the amendment to the synod constitution of S13.23 and the model constitution with C7.05. It’s no longer just permission that a congregation needs, the synod can now take back property that it deems is not being used in the best interest of this church, which constitutionally means Churchwide and not the local congregation. The language states that [the synod] shall reconvey and transfer all right, title, and interest in the property. One has to wonder if those congregations that passed the clause for automatic amendment back in 1995 have now imposed on them a back door that removes property rights from the local congregation to the synod.
ROMAN CATHOLICS OPPOSE SAME-SEX UNIONS
The pope proclaims a fervent reaction for considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons, calling on Roman Catholics to stand firm in favor of marriage as a bond between one man and one woman in a lifelong committed relationship built upon fidelity.
The Importance of Being Apathetic When the Faithful Just Don't Care
Charles Colson
Columnist Jonathan Rauch believes that America has made "a major civilizational advance" in recent years. Rauch, a longtime atheist, is thrilled about a phenomenon he calls "apatheism."
It's not that people don't believe in God anymore, Rauch writes in the Atlantic Monthly the majority will still say they believe. But statistics show that they're going to church less, and when they do go, it's more to socialize or enjoy a familiar ritual than to worship. And as Rauch observes, they're refraining from sharing their faith with their friends and neighbors.
On the whole, the people Rauch describes haven't been putting much thought or effort into their faith. They're looking for comfort and reassurance, not for a God who asks anything of them. Hence the rise of "apatheism," which Rauch defines as "a disinclination to care all that much about one's own religion, and an even stronger disinclination to care about other people's."
Writer David Brooks noticed a similar trend a few years ago. In his book Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There, Brooks popularized the term flexidoxy to describe the form of religion practiced by many educated young Americans. He wrote that in a complicated and confusing world, these people "spend much of their time pining for simpler ways of living, looking backward for the wisdom that people with settled lives seem to possess." But at the same time, they "show little evidence of renouncing freedom and personal choice. They are not returning to the world of deference and obedience."
It appears that flexidoxy was a natural precursor to "apatheism." If a person makes himself the center of his own faith, there's not much room for God.
Rauch thinks this is great, because he believes that "religion, as the events of September 11 and after have so brutally underscored, remains the most divisive and volatile of social forces." If you must have faith, he argues, it's better to be lukewarm about it than to be "controlled by godly passions."
There are several problems with Rauch's analysis, but the main one is that the "apatheism" he describes looks very much like selfishness. And it's selfishness, not religious faith, that is a truly disruptive force.
If we really have faith in God, and aren't just paying lip service to Him, that faith takes us out of ourselves, leading us to serve God and other people. It's selfishness, not tolerance, that dictates that we direct our own lives and stay where we're comfortable. Selfishness makes us keep our faith strictly personal, afraid to integrate it with the rest of our lives or even to talk about it for fear of being judged harshly.
In Jonathan Rauch's ideal world, without the "godly passions" he deplores, there would have been no Mother Teresa, Corrie ten Boom, or William Wilberforce able to identify evil and stand against it. There would be no BreakPoint challenging you to do the same.
Rauch may not like the idea of a world controlled by godly passions, but if he could see a world free of godly passions, controlled entirely by human passions, he might not think it were such a great civilizational advance after all.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., U.S. Newswire
Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, executive director of the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, joined Focus on the Family President Dr. James C. Dobson on his national daily broadcast today to discuss Nicolosi's new book, "A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality." The book, featured on Sean Hannity's national radio show and Fox's O'Reilly Factor, challenges the notion that homosexuality is genetic and offers parents practical advice on how to prevent it. "This book is about giving parents a choice," said Nicolosi. "Parents cannot prevent something they do not understand."
Dobson, heard by 8.9 million listeners each week, praised the book, noting it ought to be read by every parent. "Deception runs deep on the issue of homosexuality," Dobson said. "It takes a great deal of courage to say anything about this issue when it does not coincide with the politically correct view. Dr. Nicolosi is one of those men who has the courage of his convictions."
In fact, the trade magazine Psychology Today ran a paid ad regarding the book and was attacked by homosexual activists for doing so. Editor Robert Epstein, Ph.D., a social liberal and defender of gay rights, wrote an editorial after the ad appeared saying he received "threats, insults" and "brutal letters" from gay activists. He noted that after choosing to run the ad he encountered what he describes as "the dark, intolerant, abusive side of the gay community."
"A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality," published by InterVarsity Press, is based on previous research as well as Dr. Nicolosi's 10 years of treating unwanted homosexuality as a clinical psychologist. The three-day broadcast addresses specific behavioral patterns in the parent-child relationship that encourages unhealthy same-sex attraction, such as a damaged relationship with a father or an overbearing mother.
In addition to his work as a psychologist, Dr. Nicolosi is a popular speaker and a regular presenter at Focus on the Family's national Love Won Out conferences -- one-day seminars designed to help the public navigate the myths clouding the issue of homosexuality. More than 16,000 men and women have attended these events since its inception in 1998. The conference makes its next stop in Detroit on April 26 at Tri-City Christian Center.
John Paulk, Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference host, concluded: "Thousands of former homosexuals, like myself, have benefited from the information presented in this book. Activist groups who promote the inaccurate theory that one is 'born gay' should not be allowed to monopolize the discussion. In the spirit of tolerance we hope the message of this book will be promoted as part of the public debate as well."
Greetings From Baghdad
A story from a member of our armed forces in Iraq, Eric Wesley
An email was received from a soldier in Iraq. Eric Wesley described the country after war and the problems of establishing a government on the heels of a dictatorship based on fear and intimidation. While in the field, Eric got out of his hummer to talk on a phone with a commander. While wandering away from the vehicle and talking, a missile landing directly on the vehicle he had just been in. Surveying the damage, aware that five men had been killed, the engine from the hummer was thirty feet from the spot where it had been struck. Eric reached down and saw his small pocket bible; the pages slightly burned at the edges, but otherwise in tact. The impact of that event provided some profound insights.
From his observation and awareness of all the complexities of war, he is convinced that war was the only way to uproot Saddam, who ruled through fear and intimidation. He observed, first hand, that fear in the people he met. Although mixed with political realities, there was a profound observation which is applicable to any struggle over right and wrong and the principles that govern us.
For this reason, I remain fully convinced that what our president directed here was not only justified, but necessary. Many have cited the tragedy of war the tragic deaths of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure, the damage to the economy. All of this is true. But as I stated to a reporter the other day, we must always acknowledge that war is a bad thing.. Alternatively, the only thing that brings glory to war is the hope that of making a previous situation better. We have decided when going into a conflict that the cost of war will be outweighed by what we justly achieve in human value by the outcome. It reminds me of the tattered pages of my bible that I found in the rubble on April 7. The exterior was burned and it looks uglier than it used to, but the integrity of that bible and the truth it represents, remains. Likewise, there are ugly aspects of this war that anyone would like to soon forget. The hope [for these] people, and for that matter, the entire region, . . . outweighs the cost that many had to endure. In other words, there are ugly memories, but the truth and integrity with which we embarked on this campaign remains.
A soldier in the field knows that a bible, tattered and ugly, contains principles that are true and unchanging. Fighting over any cause is ugly, but truth provides the only hope that can bring any people out of bondage and into freedom. The truth of the bible is both timeless and unchanging. A missile and a tattered bible convey a simple principle that has upheld the cause of the church from its foundation.